Questions: Gifts & Gears

This is part four of a series of questions intended to help you find a long-term ministry in which to serve. Part one began with why we do or do not presently serve in a long-term ministry and to share what improvements we think our churches could make in this area. To get the most out of this series, I suggest you work from the beginning.

Here are some questions about your spiritual gifts and the way God has geared your personality. Next time we'll bring it all together to determine the right ministry opportunities just for you!

What seem to be your spiritual gifts? You can search online for a "spiritual gifts assessment". Assessments with at least three questions per gift will be more reliable. Have you taken an assessment and aren't sure what the results mean? Plenty of sites give explanations of what each gift means.

Tip:
Take at least a couple different assessments from time to time as you gain life experience. Why more than one? Because some assessments place more emphasis on actual experience than interest and because some test for a different number of gifts. Over time, one or more gifts will consistently stick out above the others. That's a good indication they are your spiritual gifts.

How do you like to interact with people? Are you outgoing or do you keep to yourself? Do you like talking one-on-one or to groups? Would you rather talk to people or write to them? Do you joke a lot or are you more reserved? How would others describe you?

Questions: Drive

This is part three of a series of questions intended to help you find a long-term ministry in which to serve. Part one began with why we do or do not presently serve in a long-term ministry and to share what improvements we think our churches could make in this area. To get the most out of this series, I suggest you work from the beginning.

These questions are fashioned to help you determine the things that drive you. These are the things that touch your heart and have the ability to change you from the inside out. When you think about them, you get excited and perhaps see endless possibilities in your involvement with them. These are truly fulfilling when you know you are using them for Christ. Next time, it's gifts and gears!

Whom do you like to work with or help? This could be an age group (kids, young adults, elderly) or special interest group (new Christians, singles, girls with unplanned pregnancies, motorcyclists).

What things have you done in the past that were particularly satisfying? Perhaps it was in a church or parachurch ministry or something you've done to help out someone. What part of the ministry was most rewarding for you?

What is your passion? What gets your blood pumping, be it injustice (the welfare system, church persecution), poor lifestyle choices (Sunday morning Christians, premarital sex) or excitement over something (outdoor adventures, hobbies)?
Tip: Think how you could turn those negative passions into positive ones. Examples: Go from frustration with the welfare system to helping those people find jobs, and from sadness over premarital sex to designing or participating in an abstinence education program).

If you had no other responsibilities, what would you spend your days thinking about, doing, or learning more about? When you're going through your day, what do you wish you were doing instead? Is there a way you could turn it into a ministry? I bet so! Share this/these here! If you're having trouble getting ministry ideas, post your passion here and maybe we can think of something for you!

Questions: Skills

This is part two of a series of questions intended to help you find a long-term ministry in which to serve. Part one got us thinking about why we do or do not presently serve in a long-term ministry and to share what improvements we think our churches could make in this area.

The focus of this set of questions is your skills and talents. Be sure to write down your answers somewhere (like in a file saved on your desktop) because at the end of this series, you'll be able to look back at your answers to evaluate what ministries might be ideal for you. Check back soon for questions about what really drives you!

What special skills or talents do you have? Don't be modest here! List everything that comes to mind.

What things do people compliment you on? What do they say you do well? Consider things at work and/or school, at home, or in everyday life.

What skills or talents do you really enjoy using? Maybe they're things you like to do in your job or in your hobbies, whether hands-on (filing, instructing, creating, driving) or abstract (planning, problem-solving, evaluating). Are there things you like to do that you don't get to do anymore?

Here's a fun question to which you can share your answer if you'd like: What's your hobby? If you're feeling creative: How could you turn it into a service if you had the time?

How do YOU minister?

We are called to serve Jesus. As part of a short Christian ministry series at BibleStoreBrowser.com, I will be listing some questions that have to do with that subject. Some questions are out of curiosity. Others are to help you find a ministry that fits you. Still others are a chance for you to share your thoughts or experiences so that you can help others. I hope you have fun and that these discussions get you excited about prospective ministries in which YOU can be involved!

Are you plugged into a ministry at your church?
If so, what do you do? How do you see Jesus working in it?
If not, what hinders you?

What improvements would you like to see in ministries at your church? (It may have something to do with what's holding back you or others.) Don't worry if your ideas are off the wall or beyond what you can personally do. Many great things begin with thinking outside the box! [This isn't a place to criticize your church, but to brainstorm for ways to build up the body of Christ!)

Are you involved in a ministry outside your church? Talk about it! What's its mission? How were you led to it? Share whatever you want about it!